Ministry of Interior at Ministry of Labor, Ipinahayag ang Karagdagang Eksempsyon  at Pasilitasyon para sa Itinakdang Panahon.

Ang Ministry of Interior at ang Ministry of Labor ay nananawagan sa lahat ng establisimyento, indibidwal at manggagawa na daliang itama ang kanilang nalabag na kautusan at patakaran ng paninirahan at batas paggawa at samantalahin ang mga eksempsyon at pasilitasyon na inaprubahan ng Royal Decree bago ang pagtatapos ng ibinigay na taning/panahon hanggang 24-08-1434 katumbas ng 03 Hulyo 2013. Pansamantala, ang kinauukulan ay kinukumpirma na sila ay magsisimulang mag-inspeksyon at madalian ipatutupad ang panuntunan at regulasyon doon sa mga lumabag na employers at mga manggagawa bago matapos ang palugit.

Ang mga Eksempsyon at Pasilitasyon  ay ang mga sumusunod:

1. 1.Lahat ng manggagawang lumabag sa regulasyon ng paninirahansa batas ng paggawa sa Kaharian na nagnanais na ayusin ang estado ng paggawa at manatiling magtrabaho sa Kaharian ng Saudi Arabia ay malilibre sa mga parusa at multa sang-ayon sa kanilang paglabag na nakuha bago ang 06 Abril 2013.
2. 2.Sa kaso naman ng final exit sa panahon ng taning para maitama ang kondisyon ng pagtatrabaho, ang manggagawa ay libre sa mga kabayaran kaugnay ng kanilang paglabag sa paninirahan at permiso saat sa mga datihan pang paglabag.  Sila ay kailangang dumaan sa fingerprinting para ma-update ang kanilang impormasyon. Ang pamamaraang ito ay hindi magiging hadlang sa pagbalik ng isang manggagawa sa Kaharian ng Saudi Arabia kung siya ay mapagkakalooban ng bagong entry visa.
3. 3.Hindi kasama sa nabanggit na taning ang mga iligal na pumasok sa Saudi Arabia.
4. 4.Ang mga manggagawa na tumakas sa kanilang employer at may mga expired na working permit at may paglabag sa paninirahan ay maaaring isaayos ang kanilang katayuan alinman sa pagbalik sa kanilangemployer o paglipat sa ibang employer, kahit walang pahintulot ang kasalukuyang employer. At anumang hindi pagkakaunawaan hinggil sa kanilang private rights claims ay aayusin sa pagitan nilang dalawa at ng kasalukuyang employer doon sa hukuman, ayon sa mga sumusunod:

*Ang paglipat ng isang maggagawa sa isang pribadong kumpanya na may kabuuang bilang ng manggagawa (sampu o pataas pa) ay hindi nangangahulugan ng pagbaba ng estado ng kumpanya sa Green Zone ng Nitaqat.

*Hindi lalampas ng apat na manggagawa ang maaring ilipat  sa maliit na green entity na merong kabuuang bilang na siyam na mangagawa o pababa at kumuha  ng kahit  isang Saudi , maaring ito ay ang mismong employer o panibagong Saudi na babayaran na hindi bababa sa tatlong libong riyals (SAR 3,000) sa kondisyon na ang kabuuang bilang ng manggagawa ay hindi lalampas sa siyam (9) pagkatapos ng paglilipat. (Ito ay isasagawa sa Labor Office).

5. Ang mga tumakas na katulong  o iyong mayroong expired iqama ay maaring ayusin ang kanilang katayuan alinman sa pagbalik nila sa kasalukuyang employer kung sila ay may kasunduan sa pagitan nilang dalawa, o ang kanilang serbisyo ay malilipat sa ibang employer bilang kasambahay (ito ay gagawin doon sa Passport Department o Jawazat o maaring ilipat sa pribadong kumpanya at hindi na kailangan ang pahintulot ng kasalukuyang  employer (ang pamamaraang ito ay isasagawa sa Labor Office),  para makumpleto ang paglipat ng serbisyo ng isang manggagawa  ang mga sumusunod na kondisyon ay dapat maisakatuparan:

*Ang isang pamilya ay may kabuuang bilang na hind lalampas sa apat na kasambahay pagkatapos ng proseso ng paglilipat.

*Ang paglilipat ng isang kasambahay patungo sa pribadong sektor o kumpanya na may kabuuang bilang ng sampung manggagawa pataas ay hindi nangangahulugan ng pagbabago sa estado ng kumpanya ng Green Zone ng programa ng Nitaqat.

*Hindi malilipat ang higit sa apat na manggagawa sa maliit na green entity na mayroong siyam (9) na manggagawa pababa, at kumuha ng  kahit isang Saudi,  sa kondisyon na ang kabuuang bilang ng manggagawa ay hind lalampas sa siyam (9) pagkatapos ng paglilipat.

6. Ang mga nagsagawa ng Hajj at Umrah na tumigil sa Kaharian bago ang 03 Hulyo 2008 at hindi na umalis ay maaaring maisaayos ang kanilang estado bilang kasambahay ( ang pamamaraang ito ay maisasagawa sa Jawazat) o bilang manggagawa sa pribadong kumpanya. Ang pamamaraang ito ay unang isasagawa sa Jawazat para marehistro ang impormasyon ng isang manggagawa, at pagkatapos ay pupunta sa labor offices para sa approval ng karapatan ng isang establisimyento sang-ayon sa mga sumusunod na kondisyon:

      * Ang paraang ito ay hindi dapat maging dahilan ng pagtaas ng kabuuang bilang ng kasambahay sa isang pamilya (apat na manggagawa ang pinakamataas) pagkatapos na isaayos ang estado.

      * Ang pamamaraang ito ay hindi dapat maging dahilan ng pagbaba ng estado ng isang kumpanya na may sampung manggagawa o mas mababa pa sa Green Zone.

* Ang pamamaraan ito ay hindi dapat mailipat ang mas maraming mangagawa bilang pinakamataas sa pinakamaliit na green entities na mayroong siyam na manggagawa o mas mababa at kumuha ng kahit isang Saudi,  maaring ito ay ang mismong employer o panibagong Saudi na babayaran na hindi bababa sa SR 3,000, sa kondisyon na ang kabuuang bilang ng manggagawa ay hindi lalampas sa siyam (9) pagkatapos ng paglilipat.

7. Sa panahong itinakda para baguhin ang estado, ang mga kumpanya ay pinapayagan na baguhin ang trabaho/posisyon ng kanilang manggagawa, kahit na ito ay nasa Nitaq (range/Zone) ng isang kumpanya at gawaing naaayon sa batas ng propesyon na para sa mga Saudis lamang sa pamamagitan ng electronic services ng Ministry of Labor. Ang propesyon na ipinagbabawal sa mga Saudis ay: (Senior Manager of Human Resources- Personnel Manager- Director of Business Affairs and Workers- Individuals’ Relations Manager- Personnel Specialist- Personnel Clerk-Hiring Clerk- Personnel Affairs clerk- Working Hours Clerk-General Reception Clerk- Hotel Reception Clerk- Patients Reception Clerk- Complaints Clerk- Cashier- Private Security Guard- Liaison Officer- Key Duplicator- Customs Broker-Workers in the women’s supply stores.

8. Sa panahon ng pagsasaayos, ang anumang pagbabago sa trabaho ng manggagawa ay maaring palitan ng walang kaukulang multa.

9. Ang pagkakataon para ayusin ang estado ng isang manggagawa ay para sa lahat ng nasyonalidad sa ibinigay na takdang panahon.

10. Sa itinakdang panahon, ang kumpanya ay pinapayagang lumampas sa itinakdang bilang ng nasyonalidad ng mga banyagang manggagawa  na bumubuo sa  bawat kumpanya para maisagawa ang pag-aayos at mapagkasya ang bilang ng mga gustong mag-ayos ng kanilang sitwasyon sa pagtatrabaho, at  hindi kasama sa nasabing pahintulot na ito ang recruitment requests.

MGA PANGKALAHATANG  PROBISYON:

1. 1.Ang pagtatago, paglilipat at pagbibigay ng trabaho sa mga iligal na manggagawa ay isang paglabag na kung saan ang mga lumalabag ay may kaparusahang pagkakulong ng dalawang taon at may kasamang kaukulang multa na maaaringhangang isandaan libong riyal (SAR 100,000.00) sa bawat paglabag at ang kaparusahan ay maaaring dumami ayon sa bigat ng paglabag.
2. 2.Ang pag-antala sa pag-alis ng iligal na manggagawa ay maaring magresulta sa kanyang pagkakakulong at pagmumulta.
3. 3.Para patotohanan na walang private rights claims, ang bagong employer na naglipat ng serbisyo ng isang manggagawa na walang pahintulot ng dating employer sang-ayon sa itinakdang palugit, ay hindi papayagang magbigay ng exit visas or exit re-sa manggagawa sa panahon  unang tatlong buwan mula sa petsa ng kanyang paglipat ng serbisyo, at kung ang bagong employer ay pinayagan ang  kanyang manggagawa na umalis ng Kaharian sa panahong ito, ang bagong employer  ang siyang mananagot sa lahat ng obligasyon ng manggagawa.   
   1. 4.Ang regular na kasambahay ay pinapayagang lumipat ng kanilang serbisyo sa isang kumpanyang pribado na may pahintulot ng kasalukuyang employer (ito ay isasagawa sa Labor Offices) ayon sa mga panuntunan nasabi sa Artikulo 5 ng panuntunang ito ng itinakdang panahon.
   2. 5.Isa sa mga responsibilidad ng employer ang siguraduhin ang validity ng working permit at residence permit (Iqama) ng manggagawa sa panahon ng paninirahan ng manggagawa sa Kaharian, at anumangay pahihintulutan ang manggagawa na tapusin ang kanyang kontrata sa pagitan ng manggagawa at employer, at pinapayagang malipat ang serbisyo o paninilbihan sa ibang employer na walang pahintulot mula sa kasalukuyang employer, at ang  aplikasyon ng panuntunang ito ay itutuloy kahit  matapos ang itinakdang panahon.
   3. 6.Ang mangagawa ay hindi pinagbabawalan na ilipat ang kanyang serbisyo sa panahon na hindi maibigay ng employer ang mga dokumentong personal ng manggagawa.
   4. 7.Ang paglilipat ng serbisyo ng manggagawa sa itinakdang panahon ay hindi papayagan para sa isang kumpanya na itinayo pagkatapos ng simula ng itinakdang panahon (06 Abril 2013).
   5. 8.Ang kalagayan ng isang mangagawa ay madaling maitama sa pamamagitan ng serbisyong elektronik sa ilalim ng Ministry of Labor kung ang kumpanya ay i-activate ang pangalawang lebel ng electronic services. (Para i-activate ang pangalawang lebel ng electronic services, pwedeng bisitahin ang pinakamalapitLabor office para makuha ang password ng kumpanya.
   6. 9.Ang manggagawa na nagtatrabaho sa kumpanya na pagaari ng dayuhang namumuhunan ay pwedeng ilipat ang kanyang serbisyomakakuha ng Final Exit kahit walang pahintulot sa kaso ng pag-alis ng dayuhang mamumuhunan sa kaharian, at sa kawalan ng lehitimong ahente o kinatawan ng kumpanya.

Ang Ministry of Interior at Ministry of Labor ay pinapayuhan ang lahat ng indibidwal na samantalahin ang pagkakataon na maisaayos sa itinakdang panahon para sundin ang mga alituntunin para sa itinakdang panahon sa mga sumusunod na Ministry of Interior website: (www.moi.gov.sa) o sa website ng Ministry of Labor (www.mol.gov.sa) at para makuha ang kopya ng pamamalakad o tumawag sa Customer Service Center Number 9200001173.

PILIPINO VERSION MOI and MOL Additional Exceptions and Facilitations

Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Labor announce the additional exceptions and facilitations for grace period 

Riyadh, 30 Jumadi  Al-Thani 1434 corresponding to 10 May 2013.SPA

The Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Labor called on all establishments, individual, and expatriates to immediately rectify their violations of the rules and regulation of residency and labor laws and to take advantage of the exemptions and facilitations approved by the Royal Decree before the expiration of the grace period up to 24-08-1434 corresponding to 3-July -2013. Meanwhile, the concerned authorities confirmed that they would begin the inspection campaigns and will immediately implement the rules and regulations to the violator employers and expatriate workers after the deadline.

Exemptions and Facilitations cover the following:

1- All expatriate violators of the kingdom’s regulations on residency and labor law, who may wish to rectify their working conditions and stay for work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be exempted from penalties and fines related to their violations that have been accrued before 25/05/1434 corresponding to 6/4/2013, excluding charges.

2- In case of final exit during the grace period for rectification of working condition, the worker will be exempted from residency permit charges and working permit penalties and fines in relation to their violations for the previous periods, and shall undergo fingerprinting for those who didn’t have their fingerprints taken to update their information; and this procedure will not prevent the expatriate from returning again to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, if he is able to secure a new entry visa (this procedure will be processed through the Passports Office).

3- The grace period excludes infiltrators, who entered Saudi Arabia illegally.

4- Expatriates who absconded from their employer (who had been reported missing from work - huroob) or those expatriates whose residency and working permit have expired, may rectify their status either by returning to their current employer, or transferring their services to another employer, without the need for consent of the current employer, and any disputes relating to private rights claims will be settled between them and the present employers  through judicial authorities, taking into account the following:

• The transfer of service of the worker to the private sector companies who have a total number of their workers (10 workers or more) will not lead lowering of the company’s status below the Green zone of the Nitaqat.

• Not more than four workers may be transferred as a maximum to a very small green entity  (with a total number  of 9 workers or less, and hired at least one (1) Saudi, either the employer himself  or another Saudi to be paid not less than SAR,3000) on the condition that the total number of workers does not exceed 9 after the transfer process.(This procedure will be processed through the Labor Office) 

5- The run-away household service workers (who were reported to the concerned authorities as absconding) or whose iqama validity expired may rectify their status either by returning to the current employer if there is an agreement between them, or their services will be transferred to another employer as a household service worker (this procedure will be done through the Passport Department or Jawazat) or to be transferred to the private sector establishment/ company without the need for the current employer's consent (this procedure will be processed through Labor Offices), and to complete the transfer of the service the following conditions apply:

• The total number of household help for one family shall not exceed 4 household workers after the transfer process. 

• The transfer of service of the household service worker to the private sector establishment/company which have a total number of 10 workers or more workers will not cause the establishment to change status from the Green zone in the Nitaqat program.
• More than 4 workers will not be transferred as a maximum to a very small green entity which has a total number of 9 workers or less, and hired at least one (1) Saudi, either the employer himself or another Saudi to be paid not less than SR 3000, provided that they do not exceed the total number of workers in one establishment/company (9 workers) after the transfer process.

6- The Hajj and Umrah performers who have overstayed in the Kingdom (before 28/6/1429-H (3/7/2008) may rectify their status as household service worker with individuals, this procedure will be completed through the Passports Department (Jawazat), or as workers at private sector company. This procedure will firstly be processed at the Passports Department (Jawazat) to register the expatriate information, and then will proceed to the labor offices for approval on the entitlement of the establishment according to the following conditions:

• This process should not to lead to an increase in the total number of household service workers in the same family (maximum of 4 workers) after rectifying the status.
• The procedure should not lower the status of enterprises with 10 workers or more to a zone lower than the Green Zone.
• The procedure should not transfer more than expatriate workers as a maximum to the very small green entities that have 9 workers or less and have hired at least one (1) Saudi, either the employer himself or another Saudi to be paid not less than SR 3000, provided that the number of workers does not exceed 9 after the process of transfer.

7- During the specified grace period to rectify status, establishments / companies will be allowed to amend the occupations/positions of its expatriate workers, regardless of the Nitaq (range / zone) of the establishment/company and its activities in accordance with the professions laws restricted the Saudis through electronic services to the Ministry of Labor. The professions restricted to Saudis are: (senior manager of human resources – Personnel Manager - Director of business affairs and workers – Individuals’ Relations Manager - Personnel Specialist - Personnel clerk –   Hiring clerk – Personnel Affairs clerk – Working hours clerk  - General reception clerk - Hotel reception clerk - Patients reception clerk –Complaints clerk - Cashier - Private security guard – Liaison officer – Key duplicator - Customs broker -Workers in the women's supply stores.

8- During the grace period for rectification, changes in the occupations of expatriate workers (household service or not household service) may be amended without any charges.

9- The opportunity to rectify status of expatriates is open to all nationalities without exception during the specified grace period.

10-              During the grace period, establishments or companies will be allowed to surpass the specific percentages of expatriates in the composition of all nationalities in each establishment/company in order to facilitate the rectification process and to accommodate the numbers who are willing to rectify their working situations, and the said permission does not include recruitment requests.

GENERAL PROVISIONS:

1. 1.Harboring, transporting, and providing jobs to illegal expatriates are considered a violation in which the perpetrator will be subjected to imprisonment for a period which may reach two years as well as financial penaltiesone hundred thousand riyals for every violation, and penalties will multiply in accordance with the number of violators.
2. 2.The delay in departure of an illegal expatriate will expose him/her to imprisonment and penalties.
3. 3.To verify that there is no private rights claims, the new employer, who transfers the services of the worker without the consent of the previous employer during the grace period, undertakes not to allow the grant of exit visas or exit-reentry to the worker during the (first three months period) from the date of transfer of the service, and if the new employer allows the worker to depart the country during this period, the new employer will be held liable for all obligations of the worker.
4. 4.Regular household service workers are allowed to transfer their services to the private sector company with the consent of the current employer (This process could be done through the labor offices) per rules mentioned in article (5) of the Rules of the grace period for rectification of working condition.
5. 5.Among the responsibilities of the employer is to ensure the validity of the work permit and residence permit (iqama) of the expatriate, during the time of the period of the workers residency in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and any violation may allow the worker to terminate the employment contract relationship between the worker and the employer, and allow him to transfer his services to another employer without the consent of the current employer, and the application of this rule will be continued even after the end of the grace period.
6. 6.The expatriate will not be prevented from transferring his services in the event of failure of the employer to hand over the personal documents to the expatriate.
7. 7.The transfer of services of workers during the grace period will not be allowed to a company which has been established after the date of the start of the grace period (25/05/1434 corresponding to 06/04/2013).
8. 8.The working condition of expatriate can be corrected easily by (transfer of service, change of profession and etc.) through electronic services of the Ministry of Labor as long as the company/establishment has activated the second level of electronic services. (For activation of second level of electronic services, you can visit the nearest Labor Office to obtain the password for the establishment).
9. 9.The expatriate worker, who is working with the establishment owned by a foreign investor, may transfer his services or secure final exit without the consent of the employer in case of departure of the foreign investor from the kingdom, and in absence of a legal agent, representative for the management of the establishment.

The Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Labor have directed all individuals who may wish to benefit from exemptions and facilitations for the grace period to follow the implementing guidelines for the grace period  through the following Ministry of Interior website: www.moi.gov.sa or the website of the  Ministry of Labor; www.mol.gov.sa and to obtain a copy of these procedures, or call the Customer Service Center Number 920001173.

Unofficial translation by

1-   Mr. Nasrudin Usudan

2-   Mr. Aziz Amerol

3-   Mr. Camaloddin Hasim

Translation - SPA MOI and MOL Announce Exemptions and Facilities to Rectify Status